


Warm Hands

by Wanderlust14



Series: MDimileth Week Fics [1]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Daemons, Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Angst, Blue Lion Route, Cat AU, Daemon Touching, Fluff, M!Dimileth Week, M/M, Modern AU, mention of canon character deaths
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-08-22
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:41:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25954666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wanderlust14/pseuds/Wanderlust14
Summary: A collection of M!Dimileth one shots for M!Dimileth Week
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/My Unit | Byleth
Series: MDimileth Week Fics [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2022593
Comments: 8
Kudos: 97





	1. Day 1: Pre-Time Skip

Byleth had never seen people ice skating before. He heard that it was a thing done in Faerghus, to get from place to place in the winter, but his father tended to avoid jobs in the Kingdom during that season. Jeralt saw no point in suffering through the cold and snow and so they mostly worked in the Alliance and Empire until spring. Rhea had asked them to head to the Kingdom for a mission, though, and Byleth finally understand how miserably cold it truly was. It was too late to start the journey back, but they had the supplies to camp out until morning. He thought his students would be the fire, but the frozen pond had apparently proved more tempting to them. He did not quite get it, but his students worked hard clearing the bandits and if this is how they wished to spend their evening, that was their choice. 

He was still watching them to make sure nothing happened. Dimitri had done some sort of test to make sure the ice was frozen enough, but Byleth knew things could change in a heartbeat. It seemed alright though. They were racing around and laughing which warmed something inside of him. Between Remire, Lonato, and Miklan, it had been a tough year for his Lions, so he wanted to see them laugh. He snorted at himself for having such a thought, the feared Ashen Demon wanted his students to be happy. It was not something he could imagine being important to him a year ago.

“It isn’t a bad thing you know.” Sothis said. “It means you care.”

He subtly nodded since he actually did not mind it. He could not regret having the Blue Lions in his life. They were a good bunch and if caring about them was the price for being their teacher, he accepted it.

“What’s this?” Sothis asked and Byleth looked up. 

He was a little surprised when he realized Dimitri was coming off the pond. The Prince had been the most eager to go skating and truthfully, Byleth wanted to see him relax and happy. He was concerned about the young man. His response to Remire had been extreme and Byleth had been shocked by it. He knew Felix had always called him a boar, but Felix could be rather harsh and had dismissed the warning. Now he had to wonder if something else was going on. 

To be quite frank, it had seemed like battle poisoning, but it would be odd for the Prince to be suffering from a Mercenary disease, especially something that was actually treatable. He had checked the records, but as far as Garreg Mach knew, Dimitri was completely healthy. He knew he had to keep a close eye on him to make sure the reaction was just a response to a particularly horrible event and not a sign of deeper trouble. 

“Done?” Byleth asked him.

Dimitri shook his head and stood at the edge of the ice, “You should join us, Professor!”

“What a good idea!” Sothis said with a grin, “You should.”

“I don’t know how to skate.”

Dimitri looked startled by that and smiled, “Something you don’t know how to do? I…forgive me, but I am surprised.”

Byleth snorted, he was always amused when Dimitri accidentally slipped and teased him. He knew he had to maintain certain boundaries with the Blue Lions while he was their Professor, but getting to be their friend was probably the only aspect of their graduation he was actually looking forward too. He knew it would not be the same, but the Blue Lions were special to him. “Ask me to draw a picture and you will see something else I cannot do.”

Dimitri grinned at his little joke, “Come on, Professor. I – we all want you out there. I can show you how. It isn’t difficult.”

“You can’t disappoint your class; they want to spend time with you too.” Sothis said to him, tempting him to make a terrible decision. 

“I don’t want to fall.”

“You won’t, I promise. Besides, you will never know when such a skill could be useful in battle.” Dimitri said and then gave him his most charming smile, “Please, Professor?”

“How can you say no to that smile?” Sothis added. 

Byleth tried to resist for another moment, but Dimitri and Sothis had him. He enjoyed spending time with his students and he had trouble saying no to them. “I don’t see how this would be useful in battle.” He said getting up, “But I can give it a try.”

“You will enjoy it. I am sure.” Dimitri grinned and helped him put on the blades. 

He glanced at the thin blade and was not sure he believed him. He certainly did not believe him after he attempted to get up, but found his legs sliding right out from under him. “Hmmm, this may be harder than I thought.” Sothis said unhelpfully. 

Byleth glared up at Dimitri who was biting his lip. “It can be hard to get up the first few times.” He finally said when his mirth was under control.

He held out both hands and Byleth took them. He supposed it was a good thing Dimitri was so strong, at least he knew Dimitri could support his weight. He was finally upright and he did not like ice skating at all. It was a very strange sensation, supporting his weight on such tiny blades and feeling himself slowly moving forward. It was very hard to get his balance and he was forced to cling to Dimitri as he almost lost his footing again. 

“Bend your knees, Professor.” Dimitri instructed kindly.

He attempted to do so and felt a little more in control, but he knew that was mostly thanks to Dimitri’s firm grasp on him.

“Hey, way to go Professor!” He heard Sylvain call. He looked over and realized the rest of the class was watching.

“You’re doing great!” Ashe added with a smile.

Mercedes giggled and said, “It takes some time, but you will get used to it.”

Dimitri began to slowly move backwards, dragging Byleth with him. Byleth started to get use to the feeling of the ice beneath him and began to move his feet as Dimitri told him too. It was still odd and he could not quite see what was so fun about it, but he felt more in control. Dimitri, on the other hand, looked like he was having a ball. Some of his enjoyment was definitely at Byleth’s expense, but he was happy seeing Dimitri so relax. The Prince seemed to blossom in the cold weather.

“Yes, it is definitely the weather that has him so happy.” Sothis replied sarcastically.

“Turn your toes out a little bit.” Dimitri said.

“Are you having fun being the Professor?” He asked as he followed the instructions.

The Prince grinned, “It is rather enjoyable.”

After a few more minutes of instructions, Dimitri finally asked, “Do you want to try with one hand now?”

“I don’t know.” Byleth replied.

“I promise, I will still be right here, but if you ever wish to really learn, you can’t learn like this.”

Byleth sighed, but nodded, “Very well.”

Dimitri let go of his one hand, but he was able to keep his balance. “Good Professor! I knew you would get it.”

They slowly began to move forward and Byleth smiled slightly, he was starting to feel more comfortable. “You are doing it Professor!” Annette called and came up on his other side, grabbing his other hand. “It is not so bad, is it?”

“We will see.” He replied, now particularly grateful Dimitri was helping. Annette was very sweet, but she was not always the most coordinated and he could see both of them ending up on the ice. 

“Think you can do it without me?” Dimitri asked. 

“No.” He said immediately tightening his hold on Dimitri. He was feeling good about this, but he was not stupid either. 

Dimitri laughed, “Don’t worry, this will work fine.”

The rest of the class joined them, laughing and talking. Even Felix looked like he was having fun. He was still not sure he would willing choose to spend his time ice skating, but anything that made his Lions smile and laugh like that was worth it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What is battle poisoning? It is a headcanon I have that it is the Fodlan's words for PTSD. They don't quite understand it, but they know it is a merc disease that can happen after a bad or too many battles.


	2. Day 2: Post-Time Skip

Dimitri sipped his drink as everyone talked around him and wondered how much longer he had to remain at the party before he could slip away. Parties were always stressful for him, knowing that everyone was watching and expecting him to perform his role. As a boy, it was alright. He just needed to put on the facade of the noble Prince and people were happy. Now with everything that happened, the pressure weighted heavier. The eyes were still on him, but they were judging him as their possible future King instead of just as a prince. He did not want to disappoint them. 

“It burns!” A voice suddenly screamed and he had to stop himself from flinching. It was not real. Just a memory stirred up from the stress of the party. He took a breath and pushed the memory of death and violence away. He had a duty to the living.  
Besides, as much as he hated parties, they were good for his friends. They needed the time to relax and not worry about the war. They were fighting hard, putting their lives on the line, and had followed him even when he was going to lead them to their doom. He did not know what he had done to deserve such honorable people in his life, but he could give them an evening to enjoy the good times before they were forced to focus on the war again.

He glanced around the room and he saw Ashe, Dedue, Annette, and Mercedes sitting together, enjoying a sweet treat. Mercedes and Annette laughed at something Dedue said and Dimitri fought down a smile. It was nice to see Dedue surrounded by friends. He deserved it after everything he had been through. He glanced to the other side of the room and there were Ingrid, Sylvain, and Felix. Sylvain was obviously annoying the other two, but Felix was tolerating an arm around his shoulders and Dimitri could see the affection in Ingrid’s eyes. He spotted other members of the army scattered about, talking and laughing and he felt better about the party. His friends deserved this happiness. 

As he looked through the familiar faces, he quickly realized that there was one missing. He finally found a reason to leave early. He pardoned himself from the conversation he had not been paying attention too and headed outside. 

Dimitri found his former Professor sitting on one of the benches, wrapped up in a blanket. Byleth had a time limit with large parties. He was good for about two hours and then, like clockwork, Dimitri would find him outside, taking a break. Smaller gatherings he handled better. If it was just the Blue Lions, Byleth had no issue remaining the entire time, but events like this always wore him out. 

“Professor.”

“Dimitri.” Byleth said with a welcoming smile. 

Dimitri’s heart skipped a beat at the sight of that smile and sat down next to him. He treasured Byleth’s smiles, especially when they appeared just for him. They were more common now than they were five years ago, but they still felt precious to him. He jumped slightly when a second blanket landed on his lap, “Oh, were you waiting for someone?”

“You.”

“Me?”

Byleth gave him a look, “It is a cool night and I have yet to escape a party without you finding me.”

There was a part of Dimitri that wondered if the company was unwelcomed, but then, Byleth had brought a second blanket, just for him. He had expected Dimitri to join him and wanted him to be comfortable. That thought warmed him more than the blanket could. He took it and wrapped it around Byleth’s shoulders, knowing how cold the other man got. 

“You really aren’t a Northerner if you find this cold enough for a blanket.” He teased him. He enjoyed having the privilege of teasing his former Professor. He had slipped a few times back when he was actually Byleth’s student and was always reminding himself that even though Byleth felt like a dear friend, he was actually a Professor deserving respect. Now, Dimitri could joke with him as much as he wanted and, to his utter joy, Byleth teased him back. 

Byleth snorted, “Jeralt would only summer in the Kingdom. As soon as the leaves started to change, we would head South. He had no interest in enduring Southern summers or Northern winters.” 

It still startled him that Byleth was able to speak of Jeralt so casually now, but then the pain of Jeralt’s death was less complicated. He knew it always hurt, but Jeralt had lived a long and full life and justice had been service. He wondered if he would ever be able speak of his father like that and wanted to try. “That is ashamed, the winters in the Kingdom may be tough but they are also beautiful.” He cleared his throat, “My father and I used to have a great deal of fun.”

After a long moment Byleth asked lightly, “Oh? What did you do?”

“We would go ice skating, have a snowball fight, or even just curl up by the fire with hot cocoa and he would tell me stories. He always made sure we had one afternoon a week, just the two of us.” Those memories had been tainted for a long time with the sounds of his father’s screams, but he used to treasure those afternoons. He enjoyed spending time with his father and even when things were stressful, they had never missed an afternoon. Looking back, he realized they must have been just as important to his father. 

Byleth leaned against his arm, a comforting warmth in the cool night air. “That sounds wonderful.” He said lightly. “Perhaps when this is over, we can do some of those things together.”

“Yes.” Dimitri said without hesitating, liking the idea that when the war was over, if they both made it, they would still be together. “I will hold you to that promise.”

“Of course.”

“Avenge us!” He heard his father’s voice ringing in his ears and he flinched. That day, his father only cared about blood and revenge. He had to remind himself he deserved to be happy, he deserved to live for what he wanted, and he needed to atone to living. 

“Dimitri.” He heard softly and felt a warm hand touch his own. He turned his attention back to Byleth who was watching him closely. There was a moment he wanted to be ashamed, but Byleth just held his hand and bestowed another smile upon him. “What did you do in the summers?”

“What did I do?"

“With your father?”

“Oh...well, we would go riding or hunting.” Dimitri said, trying to focus on some of the more pleasant memories. “If it was very hot, we would go swimming in a river.”

“It sounds like he loved you very much.”

“He did.” Dimitri replied, thinking about that, “He would always take my birthday off.”

“Yes?”

“He wouldn’t even take his own birthday, but for mine, we would spend the whole day together, just the two of us until dinner when my friends could join.”

“That must have been fun.”

“It was.” Dimitri said, smiling when he remembered sharing cake and hearing him sing off key. “Thank you.”

“Hmm?”

“For asking. It has been a long time since I spoke about the good times I had with him.” Dimitri smiled slightly.

Byleth nodded, “If you ever wish to speak about him. I’d be happy to listen.”

“Same with you.”

“What?”

Dimitri shrugged, “If you ever need to talk about your father, you can talk to me.”

Byleth smiled at him and Dimitri felt that flutter again. “That is a promise.”

“Hey.” They both looked over to find Sylvain standing by the door, looking sheepish. “Sorry to interrupt your break, but people want speeches and you two are needed.”

Byleth sighed, but did not let go of his hand. “Shall we?”

Dimitri nodded, feeling much better about the party and enjoying the good times. “Yes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And yes, Sylvain did hear part of their conversation, but he didn't want to interrupt them.


	3. Day 3: After the War

They stepped off the balcony and Byleth could see Dimitri’s hands were shaking. He had just spoken to the crowds of Enbarr and he had been magnificent, ending the war that had ravished Fodlan. There were papers that needed to be sign and hands to shake to officially end the war, but as Dimitri stood in the sunshine, giving the people the one thing they wanted most, Byleth had not been able to look away. 

“Dimitri?”

“I need…” But he was unable to finish the statement.

Byleth nodded and looked around the empty throne room where Edelgard was still lying on the dais. The others had rushed to find Lady Rhea, knowing she was somewhere in the palace, but Gilbert had told Dimitri he should address the crowds and he had begged Byleth to remain by his side. Of course, that was before they realized that Edelgard still lived and she drove that cursed dagger into his arm.

“Come.” Byleth said softly, taking his hand. 

He went down the first hallway he found and opened the closest door. It was a small office, abandoned in a hurry, with papers scattered about and books overturned, but it was good enough. He locked the door and when he turned back around, he found Dimitri in a ball on the ground, leaning against the desk.

Byleth sighed and crotched down in front of him. “Let me see your arm.”

Dimitri shifted just enough for him to see the wound that was still slowly oozing. It had been a dangerously good throw, but not good enough. Byleth leaned forward and began to heal it. He did not know enough healing magic to completely fix it, but it would be better than nothing. “How are you feeling?”

“I don’t know. I thought I would be happier, but… I don’t know why I am so conflicted.” Dimitri said softly, but quickly, “I worked so hard to get here…but I don’t know what to do. I don’t feel worthy being the King of Faerghus, how am I going to be the King of Fodlan? What am I going to do now? Just walk out of Enbarr and expect everything to be alright?

There was a panic in his voice and the shaking of his hands were getting worse. Byleth sat down next to him and put an arm around him. Dimitri immediately slouched down and leaned against him, resting his head on Byleth’s shoulder. He felt warm tears and he tightened his hug. 

Byleth took a moment to breathe. He understood why Dimitri was feeling overwhelm. He was feeling the same and he was not even about to become the King of three warring nations. He considered what Dimitri had said and went for the easiest first. “You don’t have to figure it all out on your own.”

“Hmm?”

“What happens now, you don’t have to figure it out. You have advisors for a reason. They will organize what to do in Enbarr and how to leave. They may give you options, but you are not doing this on your own. Also, I doubt you are the only one feeling a little lost about what to do next, but people will come up with ideas. 

He could tell the new King was considering his words, “And everything else?”

“It is going to be hard; people are going to make things more difficult than it needs to be, but everyone is ready for peace and you have a lot of friends and allies throughout the Kingdom, Alliance, and Empire, not to mention the Church. They will help you.”

Byleth rested his head on Dimitri’s, “And if you are feeling conflicted, that is alright, feel conflicted, but Dimitri…”

“Yes?”

“On the balcony, just now, I saw a King that I couldn’t be prouder of and I hope one day, you can be proud of what you accomplished and how you tried to help Edelgard even at the end.”

Dimitri pressed his face against Byleth’s neck and he stroked his back. That was not the first time he told Dimitri he was proud of him and it was just as true today as it was then. He was proud of Dimitri, of the man he had become, especially considering the challenges he had overcome. His eyes burned and he rubbed them, trying to make the feeling go away. 

“We should go, the others-” Dimitri said, pulling away slightly, but he stopped when he got a look at him. “Professor, what’s wrong?”

Byleth considered it and shook his head. He did not know why he was crying. The last time he had cried was for Jeralt’s death, but he was not sad. His heart felt like it was going to burst with joy. “I don’t know. I…I am so happy right now…we did it. We did it and everyone is alive.” 

Dimitri was alive. 

“Oh Professor, you can cry from happiness too.” Dimitri replied, his voice cracking as he cupped Byleth’s face and wiped the tears away, with a smile. “That is not fair, if you cry, I’m going to start crying again.”

Byleth gave a soft watery laugh. It seemed stupid, being able to cry from happiness, but he was just going to accept it. “I am sure we aren’t the only ones crying today.”

“Probably not.” He said as he pulled Byleth onto his lap and into a tight hug, allowing him to rest his head on Dimitri’s shoulder.

Byleth cuddle closer to Dimitri and allowed himself a moment. He had not realized how terrified he had been until he felt the sweet release of it, but as Sothis once said, the little ones had survived. His Lions were standing, Dimitri was standing, and it was everything he had wanted. Byleth had never known such happiness before. 

He rested his head on Dimitri’s shoulder and listened to his heartbeat. He began to stroke Byleth’s hair and he closed his eyes. Dimitri was sticky with drying blood and guts and it was not the most pleasant smell, but there was no place Byleth would rather be. Eventually, his tears slowed. “Forgive me, we should find the others.”

“No, the others can wait for a few more minutes.”

Byleth nodded and settled back against Dimitri. They had just won the war; they deserved a few minutes to just rest before the chaos of the new era swept over them. He went back to listening to the steady beat of Dimitri’s heart and he continued to play with Byleth’s hair, stroking his cheek every once in a while. 

“It is a good thing, I’m happy it is over.”

“You don’t have to pretend, not with me.” After everything that happened, he hoped that Dimitri would never pretend with him. 

“I’m not, anything that brings such a smile to your lips is a good thing and I am imagining many others are feeling the same way. I am still sad Edelgard is dead, but…it is over for everyone. I just needed a little bit of time to accept that.”

Byleth looked closely at him, but saw the truth in his eye. Dimitri was still hurting, but he was truly happy the war was over for everyone. “I’m glad. This is your day and you are going to need to seem at least a little happy.”

“I can do that.” Dimitri sighed, “But, you will stay by my side?”

It was his turn to stroke Dimitri’s cheek, bringing a smile to his face, “As long as you wish.”

“That is going to be a long time.”

“The rest of our lives?”

“Hopefully.” Dimitri said, his smile getting brighter.

Byleth nodded, “I think that sounds nice, but we should probably discuss this later. We only have to deal with ending a war and your coronation first.”

Dimitri laughed, “Fair enough. Let’s go find the others.”

Byleth nodded and remembered another thing Sothis told him. This was just the beginning.


	4. Day 4: All Time

The bells chimed as Byleth was watering the plants. It had been a quiet day in the shop and he turned to greet the customers who had walked in. They were quite the pair. The one man had silver hair and was probably one of the tallest people he had ever seen. The other one was blond and was quite tall and bulky, but it was the eye patch that made him memorable. “Welcome to Garreg Mach Flower Shop. If you need any help, just let me know.”

“Thank you.” The blond with the eye patch replied. 

He turned back to his flowers, but a few minutes later he heard footsteps approaching him, it was the blond. “Excuse me, do you have a moment?”

“Of course, how can I help?”

The blond looked at the flowers for a moment and then asked, “I…was wondering if you had any suggestions for plants that are good for beginners?”

“Of course, let me just ask, how much of a beginner?”

“Very.”

Byleth nodded, “Alright and do you have any rooms that gets good light most of the day?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Good, do you have any preferences? Cacti and succulents can be straight forward and popular.” He said as he led the blond to different plants. “Spider plants and snake plants are very simple and forgiving. Peace lilies and violets do well inside and they flower.”

The blond stopped in front of the peace lily and examined it. “This looks nice.”

“Oh, I should have asked, do you have any pets?”

“No, I don’t. Why?”

“Good, well, peace lilies are not as toxic as other lilies when ingested, but sometimes animals do chew on plant and it can cause some nausea if eaten.” 

“So do not eat, good to know.” 

Byleth’s lips quirked up, “No, please do not eat.”

“So how do I care for it?”

Byleth pulled the sheet they kept by the plants and handed it to the blond, “Here are the instructions. It will tell you everything you need to know.”

The blond was looking overwhelmed and Byleth thought it was a little sweet, “That is just optimum though. If you don’t have the perfect spot for it, that is fine. Just no direct sun light, water once a week, and don’t let it get too cold. I promise, these really are easy plants.”

The blond nodded and picked up one of the peace lilies. “Alright, I think I will try, but when was the last time you watered it?”

“I did it on Monday, but if that doesn’t work, give it a small drink of water on the best day of the week for you and get it on the new cycle.” Byleth said, “And if you need any help or advice, you can always come here.”

“I appreciate that, Byleth.” The blond said, glancing at his name tag.

“What are you doing?” They tuned and the very tall one was standing behind them, holding some herbs.

“I’m getting a plant.”

“You can’t eat that!” The slight panic in the other man’s voice told Byleth there had to be a story there. The blond laughed and Byleth could not help but to let out a soft chuckle.

“I know Dedue, don’t worry. I was already informed that it was toxic.”

“Are you ready to check out?” Byleth asked.

“Yes please.” Dedue replied, still looking very concern about the peace lily. 

He led them to the front and checked out Dedue first followed by the blond. “I appreciate your help.” The blond told him.

“I am happy to assist. Thank you for choosing Garreg Mach Flower Shop.”

***

It was a week later when the blond showed up again. Byleth was a little surprised, since his friend made it clear he was not experienced with flowers, but he gave him a small wave, “Welcome back to Garreg Mach Flower Shop. How is your peace lily doing?”

The blond seemed to brightened at his words, “Well, it is still alive.”

“If it was already dead, I would be concerned I sold you a sick plant.”

“Would you suggest giving it plant food?”

“Hmm, you could if you wish. It will help with the growth.” Byleth led him over to the plant fertilizer section. “We don’t have a large selection, but there are few that is good for indoor plants. You can also make something at home. The internet has recipes.” 

“You know a lot of about plants. Is this your flower shop?”

Byleth shook his head, “No, I just work here part time. I am actually a master’s student at Garreg Mach University. I had to do a lot of research, but it was interesting.”

“What are you studying?”

“History.”

Dimitri nodded, “How do you like it?”

“It is good, tough, but I enjoy it.” Byleth said awkwardly. Talking about the flowers was easy. He knew the facts and could answer people’s question. Talking about himself was harder for him. He always felt awkward doing so. 

“That must be interesting.” The blond said as he picked up some indoor plant food. “Oh and uh, I am Dimitri.”

“Pleasure to meet you.” Byleth replied, “Is there anything else I can help you with?”

“Umm….yes, I am looking for some flowers for my friend’s birthday.”

“Man or woman?”

“Woman.”

“Does she have a favorite color? We have several bouquets already pre-cut, yellow, pink, or purple, but I can also cut something for you.” He said as he led him over to them.

“What do you think?”

Byleth looked through the bouquets and could not help but to pick a yellow one that matched Dimitri’s hair. It was sunny and bright with yellow roses and yellow and white daisies. It was sweet little bouquet and he had cut it this morning. “This one. It is very fresh and would be good for a friend.”

“Great, I will take it too.”

He led Dimitri to the front of the store and checked him out. “Thank you for coming.”

***

Byleth was shocked when Dimitri showed up the following week. It was very unusual to have customers come that often, but he welcomed the visit. Dimitri had been polite and friendly and he always appreciated that in a customer. “Welcome back.”

Dimitri smiled, “Thank you.”

“How did your friend like the bouquet?”

“Oh, uh…she loved them.” He replied. “They looked great.”

“That is good.” Byleth said as he continued to wipe down the counter. “And the peace lily?”

Dimitri’s smile brightened, “Very well, I am surprised at how easy it is.”

“Great.”

“How are you?”

“Good, school is picking up.”

“I bet. I remember what this time of year was like.” Dimitri said as he leaned against the counter.

“What did you study?”

“Political Science with a minor in physical fitness.”

“Oh?”

Dimitri blushed, “I had to go into law, but I enjoyed physical fitness and took enough credits on health and fitness to get a minor.”

Byleth looked him over. It made sense. Dimitri was a rather large man and his shirt was tight enough that he could see the tone of his arms and shoulders. It was rather nicely done. “Must have been interesting.”

“Oh it was! I always enjoy getting the chance to work out and being able to learn more about the science behind it was neat.”

“It is good you were able to get a minor then.”

“Yes, I was happy about it.” Dimitri said, glancing at him, “I was actually hoping to get the chance to speak to you.”

“Of course, how can I help?”

Dimitri bit his lip and, after hesitating a moment, said, “I was… thinking about getting another plant.”

“Yes? Feeling more comfortable after the peace lily?”

Dimitri smiled, “Yes, it is going well and the space still seems a little cold, with only one plant.”

“I understand. Do you want another peace lily or something else?”

“I was hoping for something a little different, maybe a bit smaller.”

“What about a succulent?”

“That would be great.” Dimitri said and Byleth led him over the succulents. 

***

Over the course of the next three weeks, Dimitri returned to the flower shop every week, picking up a spider plant, herbs, and more cut flowers. Generally, the only people who came to the shop that often were wedding planners and even they did not come as consistently as Dimitri did. Byleth enjoyed it though. The other man was friendly and, he could admit to himself, handsome. If he wanted to swing by to break up the monotony of the day to day grind of working in the flower shop, Byleth welcomed him. It helped that Dimitri was easy to talk too. He knew he struggled carrying a conversation at times, but Dimitri seemed to enjoy their conversations and it never felt awkward. He began to look forward to those weekly visits. 

Byleth looked up when the bell rang, “Welcome to Garreg Mach Flower Shop. If you need any help, just let me know”

A black hair man approached the counter and looked at him, “Are you Byleth?”

“Umm, yes? How can I help you?”

“And you know a tall blond man with an eye patch?”

“Dimitri?”

“Yes.” The man handed him a card. “Here is Dimitri’s number, can you either ask him on a date or reject him?”

“I…what?”

“He keeps coming here and buying flowers because he thinks you’re hot, but he won’t ask you out because you are working. So either ask him out or reject him, but for the love of the goddess, stop selling him flowers. Our flat is getting full and he is terrible with plants.” The man said quickly with a blush on his cheeks.

“I see…” Byleth said looking at the card.

“Good.” The man then turned around and left. 

Byleth stared at the card for a moment and felt his cheeks grow red. Dimitri had been coming here because of him? Byleth smiled slightly and it was sweet of him to not wish to make him feel uncomfortable while at work. 

He hesitated a moment and then put the number into his phone. ‘Hi, is this Dimitri?’

After a few minutes, his phone pinged, ‘Yes, who is this?’

‘Byleth, I think your roommate came by, a man with long black hair, about my height, and gave me your number.’

‘Oh no, I am sorry. I hope he did not give you any trouble.’

‘No, he asked that I ban you from the flower shop. Apparently, he is tired of flowers.’

‘I am so sorry, I will speak to him later.’

‘He also said I should ask you out.’

The three dots went for a while after that and then the message popped, ‘I don’t know what to say, he should never have bothered you like that at work. I will definitely speak to him and I apologize for his inappropriate behavior.’

Byleth felt his lips quirked, ‘Would you like to get dinner or a drink some time?’

The response was immediate. ‘Yes.’

‘Are you free Friday?’

‘Yes, would seven work?’

‘If you don’t mind meeting me at the flower shop.’

‘That is fine.’

‘Seven, at the flower shop.’

***

He was getting ready to close up shop when Dimitri strolled in. He smiled at the other man. “I am pretty sure Felix said no more flowers.”

“I promised him I would not be bringing this one home.” Dimitri said as he picked out a single white rose. “I still can’t believe he came here. My friend Sylvain, yes. Felix, no.”

Byleth smiled and rang him up. “He must have been fed up.”

“Probably, he is good friend, but patience is not his strong suit.” He handed the flower over to Byleth. “Are you almost ready to go?”

Byleth took a flower with a smile, “Yes, I am.”

He finished shutting down the shop and followed Dimitri out the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you were wondering, the reason the plants survived was because Felix was the one keeping them alive.


	5. Day 5: All Universes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Daemons are from His Dark Materials. They are basically the physical manifestation of your soul and take the form of the animal that best represents you. Daemons are usually the opposite gender of the person, but not always. Additionally, it is very taboo to touch someone else's daemon, however, in some intimate situations, it is alright. His Dark Materials is great and goes into a ton more detail, I recommend checking it out.

Byleth was not sure what to do once he got Dimitri into his room. He really was not thinking ahead in this situation. He had figured Dimitri might try to leave after Rodrigue’s death, but Byleth had not been expecting to finally break through his walls and reach him. He did not know what to do. He was still figuring out his own emotions; he was unsure on how to help Dimitri, but he figured the best place to start was getting out of the rain.

He glanced at the pair of them. Dimitri was sitting on his bed, his eyes close and seemed completely exhausted. Socharia was sitting off to the side and was in rough condition, her fur dirty and matted. It hurt to see the proud Lioness brought so low. He knew her leg, which had been injured at Duscur, frequently bothered her, but she had always been well groom and, quite frankly, stately. Seeing her ragged and dirty hurt as much as it hurt seeing Dimitri like that. 

Lehaien walked over to Dimitri and looked up to him. Byleth knew Leh was just as worried about the pair as he was. They had been friends before. Byleth had often seen them sitting together or playing with a ball during class. She really had been the first daemon Leh ever interacted with regularly, besides his father’s. It was why the coyote had been so shocked the first he greeted Socharia after finding them in the Goddess Tower and she had snarled at him, almost swiping him with her claws. Leh had been hurt by it, but they both understood that neither one was well. 

Byleth gasped when Leh suddenly jumped up and sat on Dimitri’s lap. Everyone stared at him as he looked Dimitri in the eye and then gently licked his cheek. A tear rolled down Dimitri’s cheek and Leh licked that too. Byleth felt his cheeks heat and shuddered at the sensation. 

Dimitri closed his eye and gently began to pet Leh. His daemon had never been touched by someone else before and it felt like Dimitri was touching Byleth. It was an incredibly odd sensation and he felt so exposed by it. At the same time, it was also right. If there was anyone allowed to touch Leh, it was Dimitri. 

Byleth glanced at Socharia, who was looking up at him. He could see the hurt in her eyes and he knew what to do. He knelt down and held out the towel. The lioness limped forward and rested her heavy head on his shoulder. After hesitating a moment, just feeling her warmth against his cheek. “Can I?” He whispered to her.

“Yes.” She whispered back. He put a hand on her side and stroked. She sighed and he did it again. 

It was strange, touching another daemon. Her fur was coarse, closer to Leh’s than the cats who ran around the monastery, but she was also warm. It felt like a gift. Socharia was allowing him to touch her, was trusting him with the most precious thing anyone had. It almost brought him close to tears. It was such a relief to finally be able to help both man and daemon.

Byleth began to slowly dry her off, taking care to avoid any wounds or sore points. He never wanted to be the cause of pain for Socharia. It was a little hard to reach her back legs because of their position, but feeling her steady breathing and smelling her warm scent was worth it. 

He could hear Leh whispering to Dimitri, but he was not sure what the coyote was saying. He was fine with it. Knowing Leh, they were words of comfort and hopefully they would help sooth Dimitri in a way so many other kind words had not. Byleth was adjusting to the feeling of Leh in the Prince’s arms, feeling that intense warmth surrounding him. He just hoped that Dimitri was not uncomfortable with him touching Socharia. As far as he knew, the last time someone had touched Socharia was Duscur, but given the way she stayed cuddled up to him, he assumed this was a good experience for her.

Eventually, her fur was dry and he whispered in her ear, “I need to dry Dimitri.”

Her ear flicked and then she rubbed their faces again. He rubbed back and after a moment, she pulled away slightly so he could stand. She pressed against his side and they walked over to his bed. Dimitri did not move, keeping his face buried in Leh’s fur. Socharia rubbed her head against his knee, but stayed silent. Leh glanced at them and wagged his tail. Byleth could see the message in his eyes, ‘Be gentle.’

He smiled and stroked Leh’s ear and turned to Dimitri. “Can I have your hand?” 

The man never looked up, but allowed him to examine each hand. His hands were in poor shape, rough with neglect and abuse. It hurt to see them like that and he had no doubt this was only a small portion of the abuse his poor body had taken over the years. He sighed and went to work, healing the injuries he found as he slowly disrobed Dimitri and replaced it with the softest clothing he could find. 

Eventually he got the Prince, dried, healed, and into fresh clothes, though the man clung to Leh like a child hugging a soft toy. Leh looked back at Byleth, relaxed and comfortable and said, “We should all go to bed.”

Byleth frowned at him and Leh wagged his tail again. Leh knew perfectly well the issue with it, but was choosing to ignore it. “I know. It is small, but it will be cozy.”

Byleth sighed and nodded. He trusted Leh. The coyote was smart and understood things far better than he did. He reached down and moved the blankets. It would be a tight squeeze, the bed was meant for a daemon and person, not a pair of people and their daemons. “Come on Dimitri, it is time to sleep.”

“Professor-I.” His voice cracked.

“Shhh,” Byleth said, stroking his hair. “You need rest. Your body needs to heal. Sleep and we can figure things out in the morning.”

“Alright.”

He guided the man into bed and looked at Socharia who shook her head. He then gently tucked Dimitri and Leh in. He hesitated a moment and kissed his hair. “Sleep well.” 

Socharia nudged him and when he looked down at her, she rubbed against him again. 

Then she jumped up on the bed next to Dimitri and looked at him. He sighed and crawled into bed next to her, on top of the covers. He could just barely fit, but he hoped it would help. He wrapped his arms around her and sighed as he felt both lion and man shake as Dimitri began to sob. Byleth began to stroke his hair and he could feel Leh nuzzling him. The healing process was going to be long and painful, but at least the wound had finally been lanced. The recovery for both could finally begin.


	6. Day 6: Your Choice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by the Cat AU comics on twitter

Dimitri was surprised when he heard B screaming by the door. B was a pretty quiet cat, mild and gentle. He was not really the type to get upset about anything. He went over to see what had riled B up and was shocked by what he saw. There was a cat laying in his garden.

He watched the creature for a few moments and quickly realized that it was in distress. He picked up the puffed cat and with an apology, put him in the bathroom. He then grabbed a towel and a can of tuna and slowly opened the door. The cat was still laying there, panting heavily and he winced when he saw its face, an eye was missing and the socket was bloody. He knew what that pain was like and he felt bad for the little cat. It looked like it had thick fur but it was matted from blood and not mud like he first thought. He gently reached down and wrapped the cat in the blanket.

The cat yowled, in obvious pain and he quickly brought the cat inside and into B’s carrier. B was screaming from the bathroom, but he knew he had to get this cat to the emergency veterinarian’s office immediately. He gave B a silent apology and rushed out the door.

The drive felt longer than it was and he kept checking the little bundle. The panting worried him, but at least he knew it was breathing. Once he arrived, the cat was taken him from and he explained to the vet technician that he had found it in the garden in that condition.

After that he took a seat and waited. He was not going to be able to wait forever since B was still in the bathroom without his litterbox, but he was worried about the little thing. He liked cats and it was awful to see one in such bad shape. He hadn’t noticed a collar on him and wondered if it was a pet or a stray. He was also wondering if given some time B would get used to a second cat in the house. 

After an hour, the veterinarian came out, “Mr. Blaiddyd?”

“Right here.”

She smiled gently at him, “Is he your cat?”

“I found him outside.”

“Ah, well, he is a fighter and he was in good shape before this. He got chewed up, probably by a dog, and has an infection from that, but his prognosis looks positive.” 

Dimitri sighed, “That is good.”

“Would you like to sign him over to us? We need to check to see if he is missing first and if not, we will see if we can find him a home.”

“If he isn’t missing, I would like to adopt him. I will pay for his bills.”

She smiled, “That is wonderful Mr. Blaiddyd. We will be sure to contact you.”

“Thank you and could you let me know if you do find his owner?”

“We won’t be able to tell you the name of the owner, but we can let you know if an owner is found.”

“That is fine. Thank you.”

***

He was pulling up to his house when he noticed a sign on the tree in front of it.

“Missing Cat: His name is Mitya. He is an indoor cat who escaped yesterday. He is very friendly and will come for chicken. Reward if found! Please call 555-2345.”

The picture on the sign was the cat he brought in to office, except this cat was fluffy and happy, sunning himself on a couch. 

He was sighed, a little disappointed, but he got out his phone and called the number. It rung once and immediately picked up, “Hello, this is Byleth.” The voice on the other end sounded tense and worried.

“Hi, are you missing a cat?”

“Yes, did you find him?”

“I think I did. I had to bring him to the vet, he might have been attacked by a dog.”

“Oh no.” The voice gasped. 

“He is in rough shaped, but the vet thinks he will be alright.” Dimitri hurried, knowing how that must have sounded.

The man on the other end sighed, “Alright, thank you, thank you for bringing him in. What vet did you bring him too?”

He gave the name of the office and the man thanked him once again, before hanging up without another word.

***

He thought that would be the last he would hear of Mitya and Byleth. He had been a little disappointed at first, but the more he thought about it, the happier he was he was able to reunite pet and person. Byleth had obviously been extremely upset his cat was gone and he could not imagine how he would feel if something happened to B.

It had taken a couple hours and some tuna to get B to speak to him again after he released him from the bathroom, but perhaps it was for the best. If Mitya and B had not gotten along, it would have been very awkward having to give Mitya up. He cared about the fluffy cat, but B was his priority and he wanted his little cat to be happy. 

His phone chimed and he looked up from the papers he had been working on. He glanced at it and was surprised to see a picture of Mitya curled up on that same couch. He had a large bandage over his face and another couple scattered about, but he looked very content even in his cone of shame. 

‘Hi, I just wanted to say thank you again for rescuing Mitya. He is home now and doing well.’

‘Thanks for sending that. I was worried about him, but I can’t take all the credit, B was the one who alerted me that he was there’ He included one of the better pictures of B.

‘He is very cute. I hope you give him some extra treats from me and Mitya.’ 

‘I will be sure to do so.’

Dimitri thought that was going to be the end of it, but then his phone chimed again.

‘I still owe you your reward.’

‘You don’t have to do that.’

‘That is kind, but I would like too. A bag of cat food and cat litter?’

‘You drive a hard bargain.’

‘😊’

‘B eats a kind of expensive brand.’

‘So does Mitya, send the brands and let me know where you would like to meet.’

***

Dimitri pulled into the parking lot of the grocery store and looked around. Byleth said he drove a black sedan and he quickly spot one with a man standing next to it. He was not sure what he was expecting but not that Byleth would be so young or handsome. He vaguely recognized him from around town, but had never the opportunity to speak to him before. He parked the car next to the black one and got out. “Byleth?”

“Yes, you must be my cat rescuer.”

Dimitri help out his hand, “Dimitri.”

They shook and Dimitri could not help but to admire him. “It is a pleasure to meet you. I am truly grateful that you rescued Mitya.”

“I am happy I could help.” Dimitri said “And you really didn’t need to go through the trouble of picking up B’s food or litter.”

Byleth lips slightly quirked upwards, “I made a promise. I also picked up a toy for him as well. I hope that is alright.”

“I am sure he will enjoy it.” Dimitri said, “How is Mitya doing?”

“He hates his cone, but he is doing better.” Byleth said. “Hopefully, he will learn to stop running outside after this.”

“I hope so too. Have you thought about harness training him?”

“Harness training?”

“Yes, so you can take them out on the leash. B is trained so I can take him out into the garden.”

Byleth seemed to consider it, “It would probably work. How do you do it?”

“Slowly.” Dimitri said with a slight smile, “I could send you some videos on how to do it though.”

“I would appreciate that.”

Dimitri smiled brightened, happy for an excuse to talk to the handsome young man again, “Of course.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lucky for Dimitri, B and Mitya bond quickly and will become best friends.
> 
> That is it for M!Dimileth week! This proved a lot tougher than I thought it would be, but I am happy I finished. 
> 
> I will say, if anyone is interested in participating in one of these weeks, I don't suggest putting the collection together like this and uploading each day. Either upload each story as its own individual story or upload them somewhere else and space out the updates here. Doing it the way I did really took a lot out of me. Thank you for reading though, I appreciated the comments and kudos


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